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Athens News Courier (Newspaper) - March 8, 2005, Athens, Alabama Painted-on smiles &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Congrats on Final Four Read about Melissa Green’s Raggedy Ann dolls m* &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Images of Athens High’s basketball team’s bid 5A 0^1^ &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;championship &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;in &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;a &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;special &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;section &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;today in a new feature on local collectors The News-Courier TuesdaV, M \r{ II 8,20»5 Serving Athens and Limestone County: A Community of Tradition and Future e newscou r 11* r.c*o m Local cast Half a dozen actors from Athens star in Theatre Huntsville’s “Lilies of the Field.” Wednesday JilDOfF Hey, Sound Off: In regards to the reader who complained about the chicken manure on Ripley Road last week, 1 would suggest that they get their facts straight, and realize they live in farming country. Instead of six trucks entering the highway, there were four and they had tarps covering the loads. Granted there was some manure blowing from the trucks but not enough to create a “big mess.” Cotton trucks create more of a mess and their debris lasts much longer on our lawns. I have no interest in this business but I am proud to live in this area knowing there is something that contributes to the economy and helps put food on our tables. God bless America! Get the news with • your morning coffee Subscribe to The Neu's-Courier A »nijgn 232-2720 Index Classified 3-5B Comics..........6B Ledger .......10-11A Movie Listing 3A Farm............6A Obituaries 2A James Elbert Bryant Louise Daniel Hightower Lucas Daniel Rolin John Wesley Warren Sports .........1-2B Daily Bible Moment ILoi’e your enemies...a fid pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you. Matthew 5:44 322 Hwv3I \ &quot;&nbsp;Athens 256-232-1Ü5I Obit line 256-771-0934 69847 00001 AG: Madison has right to $500K from Limestone schoois By Tashia l.oN f.li. tashia@athensnews-courier.com Stale Attorney General Troy King says that Limestone County may owe $500,000 in tax money to the Madison City School System. In an opinion issued on March 2, the attorney general says, “It is the opinion of this office that the three-mill district tax for school purposes levied and collected on property located in that portion of Limestone County now' within the corporate limits of the City of Madison, w hich is currently being retained by the Limestone County Board of [education, should be paid over to the Madison City School System as the children residing in that newly incorporated area now attend Madison City Schools.” King did not mention a dollar amount owed Madison, but Limestone County Superintendent Dr. Barry Carroll said Monday it will be approximately $500,000 if it goes back seven years to 1998. “1 don’t know where they are going to get it from. We have already spent that money,&quot; Carroll said. When the tax was created in Limestone County, the Madison City School System was nonexistent. Limestone County Probate Judge Mike Davis said he believes this matter will ultimately have to be settled in the court system. Limestone County Revenue Commissioner Brian Patterson hopes the matter does not go to the courts, though. Limestone County Commission Chairman David Seibert said Monday that he was going to set up a meeting with County Attorney Mike Cole. Attorneys Mike Cole and Winston V. Legge Jr. of Wilmer &amp;&nbsp;Lee, P.A, represent Limestone County. See Madison, Page 2A Ardmore man dies Saturday in 1-65 wreck An Ardmore, Tenn., man died Saturday night after losing control of his truck on his way to pick up his pregnant wife from work at Cracker Barrel in Athens, according to Limestone County Coroner Mike West. Lucas “Luke” Daniel Rolin, 26, was ejected from his 1995 Chevrolet pickup after he lost control of the vehicle while traveling south on Interstate 65, West said. The truck went into the median, back into the southbound lane, then off the road, he said. Rolin was pronounced dead at the scene of the 8:59 p.m. wreck, the coroner said. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to a State Trooper. The funeral for Rolin will be at 1:30 today at Pleasant Hill United Methodist Church in Prospect, Term., where he was a member. Visitation is one hour before the service at the church. Ardmore Memorial Funeral Home is handling arrangements. Rolin is survived by his wife, Kristy Rolin. and one son, Jaxson Cole Rolin. He worked as a pipefitter and was a fan of the University of Tennessee Volunteers football team. — Kellv Kazek County buses deemed safe State inspection finds ocal buses have low rate of deficiencies By Nanca Gi.asscoc k nuncy^athensnews-courier.com A recent state inspection showed the Limestone County bus fleet deficiency rate to be 2.9 percent, below the state deficiency goal of 24 percent. County bus mechanic Stuart Davis said the low deficiency rate is a result of regular inspections and maintenance. “It’s a law that they have to be inspected every 30 days,” Davis said. “ Instead of letting a bunch of stuff go bad we take care of it before it gets to that point. When he (a state inspector) comes, we don’t do anything different.” The inspection includes bus braking, exhaust, steering, signaling systems, tires and other safety items. Davis said the buses are operating at their lowest deficiency rate. “I was very proud that it’s that low,” he said. “That’s the best we’ve ever had. I don't think it’s some City Council supports Brookhlll move By Phil Willis phil@athensnew's-courier.com The Athens City Council, spurred by parent complaints about the Athens City School Board’s inaction on student health problems alleged to have been caused by environmental factors at Brookhill Elementary School, Monday night directed Mayor Dan Williams to draft a letter to board members recommending they act on requests to transfer students from the school and consider a proposal to move classes to First Baptist Church. “The council is not trying to meddle in school board affairs,” Williams said. “But any action must start with the school board. I served on the school board myself for five years and we transferred students for all sorts of reasons, almost any kind of hardship you could imagine. “There's got to be a remedy for the problems at Brookhill. I am not in favor of closing the school.” Leaders at First Baptist Church have offered the use of church facilities for Brookhill classes, as was done when a mold and fungus problem first appeared at the school five years ago. The mayor said church leaders had assured him it See Brookhill, Page ЗА See Buses, Page 2A News-Courier/Kim Rynders School bus garage employees, above, Stuart Davis, left, Joe White, Larry Tyler and Tommy Wallace inspect a bus Monday at the facility. Old county ail building to be sold County School Board bans book by popular young adult novelist Bv NaNCA (jLA.SSC CK k mo7cy(a]athensiie\vs-courier.com Limestone County School Board members rejected a proposal Monday night that would have kept a novel Superintendent Dr. Barry Carroll says illustrates a realistic view of life on the shelves in county schools. The proposal failed after arguments from Carroll and Board Member Charles Shoulders that “Whale Talk” by Chris Crutcher, promotes understanding rather than prejudice. “1 will say the book has some language in it that’s strong, if not offensive, to some people,” Carroll said, adding “Whale Talk” was also recommended by the Young Adult Senior High School Library Catalog. Shoulders said he changed his opinion of the novel after reading it in its entirety. “Personally, I was ilxrious with some of the contents and language in this book,” he said. “But 1 was only reading the excerpts, not the entirety of the book. Once I heard the story line By Sonny Turner sonny@athensnews-courier.com Limestone County Commission Chairman David Seibert said Monday that the old Limestone County Jail on Green Street will be put up for sale soon. “We’ve been waiting to hear something from the city and apparently they don’t want it so it will be sold,” said Seibert, “We don’t know' yet the process that we will go through but we do have a building for sale.” The old jail was built in the 1960’s and at capacity housed 88 inmates inside the main building itself. The Limestone County Sheriff’s Department was also housed in the building. The jail was vacated this past weekend when inmates were moved to the new $9 million Limestone Detention Center off East Elm Street. The Athens City Council has expressed an interest in using the old facility while it builds a new police headquarters off East Hobbs Street. However, no official request has been made for the county facility. In other action Monday, the Limestone County Commission approved three new subdivisions, two m District 2 and one in District 1, The Tennison Farm Subdivision approved in District 1 is located at the intersection of Looney and Johnson Roads. Dewayne Blake, who owns property nearby, said he was concerned the subdivision will cause drainage See Book ban. Page 2A See Jail, Page 2A